SUWANEE -- One of the more popular recent additions to Suwanee's crowded event calendar is back for a third year.

Tickets go on sale on Friday for the Suwanee American Craft Beer Fest, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. March 16 at Town Center Park, one day before St. Patrick's Day. The event features American beers from brewers around the country.

Last year, VIP tickets for the event sold out quickly, and this year it's again limited to 250 people. VIP tickets cost $85 and come with access to a catered special menu, which is paired with exclusive cask beers, a T-shirt, tasting glass and early admission.

General admission tickets in advance are $35, and $45 on the day of the event. They come with a glass for three-ounce tasting. Live music and food vendors will also be on hand.

The event is put on by Randall and Angela Veugeler of the Veugeler Design Group.

A portion of the proceeds from the event go to Kingdom Kids, a Gwinnett charity.

It's the second straight year the event will be held in March, for cooler weather, after organizers held it in July the first year.

Last year, the Fest featured more than 250 types of beer from 101 breweries, and the event hosted about 5,000 people.

It's also the second straight installment of the Home Brew competition coordinated by Robert Carlton of the Brew Depot in Alpharetta. There is a limit of 200 entries for the competition, which will award a "best of show" award and judged by Beer Judge Certification Program standards in all beer categories.

Tickets may be purchased starting at noon on Friday at suwaneebeerfest.com, The Beer Growler Suwanee, Mellow Mushroom in Town Center, or at either Beverage Superstore location in Suwanee.